


Headache

by Freebooter4Ever



Category: The Pacific (TV)
Genre: Comfort, First Kiss, Fluff, Headaches & Migraines, M/M, Mildly suggestive situations lol, Snafu feels insecure but Eugene helps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:48:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26798356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freebooter4Ever/pseuds/Freebooter4Ever
Summary: Set during their occupation duty in China, Snafu gets restless about being left behind without any purpose after the war and ends up with a horrible headache. Eugene keeps trying to make Snafu presentable for his sophisticated society friends. But while trying to ease Snafu's headache, Eugene decides he's gonna stick by his war buddy no matter what, even with it all over and everyone else moving on.
Relationships: Merriell "Snafu" Shelton/Eugene Sledge
Comments: 6
Kudos: 25





	Headache

**Author's Note:**

> I put art of them in the garden on tumblr!! ^_^ I had a killer heat exhaustion headache for like three days straight so I wrote this. EDIT: I COMPLETELY SPACED BUT THANK YOU S-K-Y-W-A-L-K-E-R FOR EDITING AND HELPING ME WITH THIS!!!

Eugene can always tell when Snafu starts feeling restless. His eyes are the first clue. Snafu stares and doesn't stop till Eugene looks back. It's usually a blank stare, Eugene can never tell what Snafu's thinking. But it only takes one returning glance from Eugene to settle the hectic business going on in Snafu's mind. Then Snafu quiets down for about an hour or so. Until he gets bored, and the staring starts back up again.

Currently Snafu, Eugene, and Burgie are lounging in the barracks, and as usual Eugene can feel Snafu's eyes on the back of his neck.

"Burgie?... Burg?... Burg?..." Snafu's voice is the only sound in the quiet room. And he receives no response other than the scratching of pencil on paper. After a few minutes of scritching, Snafu tries again, "Sledge-ham-ma?... Gene?... Eu-gene?"

Eugene looks at him. Snafu looks back. Then Eugene returns to his writing.

A mysterious clicking noise starts up. 

"Snaf, please put the paper clip down," Burgie sighs in Snafu's general direction, "I don't think it ever did anything to you."

Snafu bends the paper clip into a triangle, rests it against the tray Eugene is using for a writing surface, and flicks the paper clip at Burgie. He misses.

"Good thing your aim with mortars is better than with paper clips," Eugene comments idly.

Snafu leans back against the pillow on Eugene's bed and deliberately knocks his foot into Eugene's hip.

Eugene tries to ignore him, but sometimes Snafu is impossible to ignore.

Snafu flops around on Eugene's bed. His legs splay obscenely, his shirt rising just above his stomach. One of his feet lands on Eugene's lap. The movement jostles Eugene's makeshift tray and ruins his letter.

Eugene throws down his fountain pen, sets his tray to the side, and turns to glare at Snafu.

Snafu blinks back, innocently. He rolls his hips over, but keeps his eyes on Eugene, and smirks.

It makes Eugene's blood boil.

Luckily, Jay interrupts Eugene's frustration by peeking his head into their room and inviting them on an outing.

"I shouldn't, I have to finish this letter," Eugene sighs, and gestures to his page with a jagged tear down the middle thanks to Snafu.

"Please, take them both away," Burgie begs Jay. His head remains bent over the single desk in the room. He's writing slowly, but steadily. And beside his elbow is a large stack of crumpled discarded paper.

"Hey! Why me?" Eugene protests, "I'm not even doing anything."

"Just like the paper clip," Snafu comments wisely.

"Yeah?" Eugene asks, "Try throwing me across the room then."

It's a deliberately impossible challenge, but Snafu still throws his own self across the bed and manages to snake his arms around Eugene's waist. Eugene sits back heavily and laughs while Snafu struggles playfully to lift him. Snafu nearly has Eugene over his shoulder before Burgie finally pulls rank and throws them both out so he can write in peace and quiet.

The door to the room shuts behind them, banishing Eugene and trapping him in the hall with Snafu and Jay. Eugene glares openly at Snafu.

For a millisecond Eugene sees guilt in Snafu's eyes, but that's quickly covered by swagger. Snafu leans into Eugene's face and drawls, "Shoulda pinned me down first."

Which knocks letter writing out of Eugene's thoughts completely and almost leaves him breathless. Images of Snafu bucking his hips around on the bed, and Eugene grabbing his wrists to hold Snafu flat against the mattress, and Snafu smiling up at him exactly as he is doing now, with heavy lidded eyes and barely parted lips. Snafu says these things to provoke him, but Eugene can never figure out why.

"C'mon," Eugene grouches, resigned to an afternoon of walking off sexual frustration, "Let's go." He puts his hand on the nape of Snafu's neck and steers him down the hall.

"Where are we going today?" Snafu asks as the three of them make their way out of the legation.

"A bar two streets over. Close enough to walk to. It's Stringbean's birthday, but he's the one with money so he's buying," Jay explains.

"I was asking Sledgehammer," Snafu corrects. He lights a cigarette and nudges Eugene with his elbow.

Eugene looks at him again. Snafu's playing his emotions off with casual nonchalance as always, but there's something different about him today. Snafu seems on edge. And he never asks Eugene where they're going, he always just follows, and leaves if he doesn't like it.

"I was thinking about some afternoon tea," Eugene says, testing to see if he can push Snafu's limits of what he will and won't follow Eugene into.

Jay laughs and shakes his head.

"What?" Eugene asks.

"You guys are weird," Jay says, but he's smiling fondly, "Anyway, who is it that's got Burgie writing so furiously?"

"That Australia girl," Snafu says with a lecherous grin.

Eugene rolls his eyes, "She's not some girl, her name is Florence."

"Oh trust me," Snafu says profoundly, "I met her in Australia. She's some girl."

"You be careful," Eugene warns, "Burgie'll come after you."

"What, you think I could steal Burgie's girl if I tried?" Snafu laughs.

"Think you could get just about anybody if you put your mind to it, Snaf," Eugene says, only slightly grumpy about it.

"Good thing I don't think too much," Snafu retorts.

"Yeah, nothing's ever on your mind. I'm sure that's what you tell all the poker players," Eugene counters, his pride still smarting from that one time he agreed to join Snafu's table, "Before you rob them blind."

Snafu smirks at him, like the overly confident little shit he is.

Eugene smiles back, glad to see some of Snafu's usual life return.

Snafu sticks his empty cigarette carton in Eugene's back pocket as they walk, and gives Eugene's butt a firm pat to make sure it stays.

Since their time in China began, Eugene's been secretly trying to expand and refine Snafu's cultural sensibilities. The other guys in the legation think this is a great laugh. Leyden even reworked Snafu's nickname to match the meaning of Eugene's Chinese name. Because apparently if Eugene is the "Golden Scholar" that must make Snafu his student.

Bill, of course, is among the guys they find loitering outside the legation gate, waiting for the rest of K company to join them. Snafu blindly follows the company on their way to a bar at first, but Eugene quickly tugs him away.

"Going somewhere, Shit-N-Ass-Faux-Undergraduate?" Leyden taunts when Eugene and Snafu break off from the main group. Bill always says the word 'undergraduate' slowly, syllable by syllable and it never fails to rile Snafu up. Nevermind that Snafu pulls the same trick on Eugene's name whenever he needs Eugene's attention. The hypocrisy is lost on Snafu. "You gonna go quietly follow teacher?" Bill asks, "Got a lot of learnin' to do?" He puts on a fake southern accent in garbled english to mimic Snafu's that grates on Eugene's ears.

"Yeah I've got learning. And my foot's gonna go up your ass," Snafu scowls at Leyden, "To teach you."

"See you later, Bill," Eugene interrupts firmly. He slings his arm around Snafu's shoulders and forcefully keeps Snafu walking beside him. The rest of K company starts off in the opposite direction.

Leyden's loud laugh follows Eugene and Snafu till they turn the corner and hit the main street. Even as the laughter fades, Snafu's scowl remains. Eugene desperately hopes Snafu's mood lightens quickly, or else Eugene's latest experiment might not go so well.

Eugene's guiding Snafu to the only proper traditional English tea service in Peking. The proprietor of the cafe is a Chinese gentleman who speaks perfect English, enjoys historical discussion, and is a good friend of Gene's. When Euegene feels at a loss for intellectual conversation, and his time off duty is too short to make it to his friend Doctor Soong's house, Eugene comes to this local cafe instead.

Eugene's so far avoided bringing Snafu to the cafe for fear Snafu's eyes would glaze over in the first five minutes. And then Snafu would decide Eugene is too boring to be bothered with. A tea house is not exactly Snafu's style. It's a minor miracle Snafu is willing to waste so much time listening to Eugene talk about culture as it is. God knows none of the other guys, not even Jay, have the patience for it. 

However, Eugene's also been spending more and more time at Doctor Soong's house alone, and Snafu is becoming increasingly surly over the fact that he's never invited. Eugene isn't sure when he and Snafu became buddies. In fact, he isn't entirely sure the title wasn't forced on him by default since no one else in the company wanted the distinction of being Snafu's close personal friend. Chosen title or not, Eugene accepts it and he's determined to clean up Snafu's act enough that they can call on the Doctor and his elevated society friends together.

Thus, Snafu needs to learn to drink tea.

The experiment doesn't go well. Ten minutes into being at the cafe and Snafu is already fidgeting in his seat like a lost child. He's discovered that there's a lip on the edge of the teapot lid and if he lifts it off, then turns it, then sets it back down, the lip prevents the lid from closing all the way. Snafu rotates the lid and deftly flips it around in his hands, experimenting with all the ways he can fit it on the teapot. Snafu's so caught up in his task, he forgets to talk and Eugene's attempts at sophisticated conversation peters into silence.

If he's being honest, Eugene is somewhat fascinated by Snafu's display. He never needs an excuse to watch Snafu's broad hands. One of Snafu's favorite pastimes, playing cards, is also Eugene's favorite for precisely this reason. No matter how engrossed Eugene is in a book, watching Snafu toss and split cards while shuffling the deck always takes precedence. But usually Snafu's hands are playing with objects less breakable than fine china. 

(With the exception of one time when Stringbean thought it'd be a good idea to teach Snafu how to juggle and Snafu suggested knives. The subsequent heated discussion trying to talk Snafu out of that particular idea nearly gave Eugene a heart attack)

Snafu fumbles the teapot lid. He barely catches it before it hits the table. Admittedly a china lid can do less damage than a dropped knife, but it still sends Eugene's heart racing.ik Doctor Soong and his family might be charmed by Snafu's fluency in French, but they absolutely will not look kindly on Snafu's impropriety.

Eugene hastily drains his first cup of tea, sets it down elegantly on the table, and pointedly asks Snafu, "Pour me another, will you?"

Snafu stares at him wide eyed, like he's been caught. He takes the hint. The lid goes still in his nimble fingers and Snafu sullenly tries to place it back on the teapot.

Unfortunately the lid misses its destination. Snafu's hand holding the lid slams onto the table, the teapot shoots out from underneath it and rolls over. Tea goes everywhere. In his haste to catch the teapot Snafu knocks the lid off the table. The lid falls to the floor and shatters. Snafu somehow grabs the teapot but holds it upside down, and the remaining tea leaves slop onto the table.

Eugene tries very, very hard not to laugh. Snafu's stricken look of horror is adorable. If he were allowed, Eugene would kiss it off him.

That's another thing Eugene hasn't admitted to Snafu. That he'd rather Snafu's hands stop fondling teapot lids or knives or his shirt collar, and start playing with Eugene himself instead.

Some of Eugene's amusement must show on his face, because Snafu's expression quickly turns angry. He drops the teapot onto the table in disgust. "Fuck this floral printed bullshit. You trying to set me up for failure, Sledge?"

"No," Eugene shakes his head somberly.

Snafu glares down at the three tiered serving tray between them, full of dainty sandwiches and fruit, as if it personally offended him.

"Merriell," Eugene sighs and tries to be kind, "you know I can't bring you with me to the Soong's unless you learn how to behave."

It's the wrong thing to say, and Eugene knows it the minute the words leave his mouth. Even the inflection of how Eugene says it sounds too much like his own mother for comfort.

Reading around the edges of Snafu's stories, Eugene guesses Snafu's mother died when he was young, but even if she had lived Eugene doubts etiquette would have been high on the list of skills taught to Snafu. As a child Snafu learned things like how to fish with an axe (one of Snafu's oft repeated favorite tall tales), rather than which spoon is used to stir tea.

Snafu stares at Eugene with big eyes, his anger replaced with raw, aching hurt.

"Snaf…" Eugene starts, trying to tug on their unspoken connection by using his nickname.

It's too late.

Snafu stands abruptly. His hip catches the table and topples half the dishes. The silver serving plates shake dangerously. The teapot rolls off the table and shatters beside its already doomed lid.

The entire tea room falls silent. Everyone is staring at Snafu. Snafu is staring at the mess of broken china. He's got that look on his face that says he's not all there right now, and it worries Eugene.

"Merriell," Eugene reassures him with a small smile and covers Snafu's hand with his, "It's fine."

It clearly isn't fine for Snafu, though. His eyes snap to meet Eugene's and the utter lack of expression on Snafu's face cuts worse than a hypothetical juggling knife. Snafu glares around the room at all the people eyeing him with concern, and then shoves the table away from his body. The edge hits Eugene in the chest. Eugene grabs both sides of the table to mitigate rattling and destruction of chinaware. Now Eugene's annoyed, and he looks up at Snafu for an explanation.

Snafu bolts from the cafe without a word.

Eugene quickly reverts to damage control. He pays for both the service and the broken teapot, apologizes profusely to his friend the proprietor, and darts after his 'buddy'.

It's easy to figure out which way Snafu went because of the loud and prolonged series of creative swear words yelled in English in the distance. Eugene spots Snafu's curly head of hair parting the crowd and follows.

Eugene catches up to him when Snafu turns onto a side street and hides behind an archway. Eugene stands quietly under the arch and watches Snafu pace back and forth in the dirt.

"You didn't have to shove the table," Eugene points out irritably.

"Fuck off, Sledge," Snafu snaps.

Eugene simply crosses his arms, leans up against the arch, and waits.

Snafu stares at Eugene for all of a minute before he sucks his bottom lip into his mouth and covers his face with his hands once more. He slides down the wall and squats, with his knees pulled up to his chest, and his face pressed against his hands, pressed against his knees.

Like all other sharp edges to his personality, Snafu cries violently.

Eugene's never seen Snafu cry. It startles him at first. He almost can't quite believe it. Eugene holds his hands out and cautiously approaches him. Snafu shows no sign of even noticing. Eugene crouches down next to Snafu and puts his hand on his buddy's knee. "Hey," he says softly.

Snafu ignores him.

Eugene shifts so he's sitting in the dirt and tilts his own leg in towards Snafu's. Their knees are barely brushing, enough contact to remind him that Eugene's there while hopefully still giving Snafu space.

Snafu never cries. Even after things like Ack Ack's death, Snafu's were the only dry eyes in the company.

"I'm right here, I'm still with you," Eugene whispers to him, "Nothing gets past us, remember? Snaf, please don't go asiatic on me now, not after everything."

He gets no response, and he is unsure if Snafu even heard him.

At one point Snafu tries to collect himself. He quiets down and smears the tears and snot around on his face with his hand. "Everything's shit," he says quietly, his voice hoarse, "Everything's such shit." Snafu breathes calmly for a while, staring at his hands. But his face starts contorting again. He clenches his fists in anger and frustration, and breaks down into tears. He can't seem to stop crying. The shaking and sputtering takes over Snafu's body and refuses to let go.

Eugene waits calmly through it all. He's seen breakdowns before in other guys, often enough to the point he feels a little numb to his fellow Marines cracking up. But this is Snafu, who seemed so untouchable.

Eventually everything subsides. The crying stops. Snafu manages to transfer all the snot from his face to his sleeve. And in place of all Snafu's emotions is that empty thousand yard stare.

Eugene squeezes Snafu's knee in solidarity.

Snafu shoves his hand off, "Leave me alone, Eugene." He's acting as if this is something Eugene couldn't relate to. As if Snafu feels he's the only one going through this.

"I cried the night of the storm," Eugene admits, "After Burgie ordered us to dump the officer's tent over? It was so funny I laughed till my eyes welled up, and then I couldn't stop crying, and suddenly everything, the only thing I could feel, was just this giant aching absence."

Snafu offers no reply. He tilts his head back and clunks it against the wall. "Fuck, my head hurts," he complains bitterly.

Eugene reaches over to feel the side of Snafu's face. Snafu's skin is hot and his heartbeat is pounding through his skull.

"You're hand's fuckin cold, Gene," Snafu complains.

"Sorry," Eugene quickly pulls away.

Even quicker, Snafu snatches Eugene's wrist out of the air and places Eugene's palm back over his own cheek. He takes a deep breath, and lifts his face to stare at Eugene.

Snafu's eyes are beautifully blue and clear after crying.

"Here," Eugene gets up and holds his hand out to assist Snafu, "C'mon, I know a place."

Snafu wraps his hand tight in Eugene's. Snafu's palm is sticky with drying mucus. He doesn't let go, even when they start walking. Their fingers will be permanently fused together with snot by the time they reach their destination.

Eugene sometimes wonders how Snafu can be so cavalier and yet paranoid about germs. Eugene wonders even more at how he himself puts up with it no matter how gross Snafu gets.

Eugene takes Snafu to a tiny public garden he discovered during one of his nightly walks. There's a gate, though it's never locked and people come and go freely. Eugene isn't even sure if the narrow space can be classified as a garden. The gate is nestled tight between two buildings. Brick steps lead down into a staircased courtyard that is somehow carved out underneath both buildings with only a thin sliver of sky overhead. Most of the garden is cast in shadow. And the shadows are cool, even with the harsh late afternoon sun.

The pathway is made of brick, the embankments are made of brick, the odd shaped pillars are made of brick, the sitting nooks are made of brick. It's almost like a dusty red maze. Plants stick out of pillars scattered here and there along the path. And carefully tucked into these plants are statues no taller than Eugene's knee. The miniature figures are carved in exquisite detail and Snafu stops to lean in and examine the face of one on their way down to the depths of the garden.

"Looks friendly," Snafu remarks, and sniffs, his nose still leaking.

Eugene nods, and again tries not to smile.

"C'mon," Eugene says and tugs on Snafu's hand.

"How'd you find this place, Golden Scholar boy?" Snafu drawls, heavy with the sarcasm.

"Came across it when I had to keep myself busy while you were out carousing," Eugene teases back, trying to keep the jealousy out of his voice.

They come to the centerpiece of the garden, a waterfall. The water trickles down, hitting each brick tier of the pillars and embankments, and ends in a tiny pool at the base of the path. The figures standing near the waterfall must have some significance, but Eugene doesn't recognize it.

"Lie down," Eugene pats the long bench-like nook beside the waterfall.

Snafu complies.

At first he's distrustful, blinking up at Eugene's hands hovering over his face with an expression of concern.

Eugene slowly, carefully lowers the very tips of his fingers to Snafu's temples and touches him so lightly he's unsure if Snafu feels it. "I watched my father do this for Mother whenever she came down with one of her migraines," Eugene explains.

Snafu nods, takes a deep breath, and closes his eyes.

Eugene increases the pressure by the slightest bit, so his hands are gliding against Snafu's skin, bending individual hair strands out of the way, and letting them gently spring back into place. Eugene's been lazily neglecting cutting his fingernails since the minor luxury of light duty in China allowed it, and his nails are long enough to ever so lightly scratch along the circular paths he's creating in Snafu's hair. It should stimulate the area around Snafu's scalp and distract from, if not help ease, the intense pain behind Snafu's eyes.

"Where does it hurt?" Eugene asks as he works.

Silently Snafu reaches up, takes Eugene's arm gently by the wrist, and moves Eugene's palm to the back-right side of his head.

"Try to relax your neck," Eugene instructs.

Snafu rolls his shoulders back, and shifts his hips across the brick.

Eugene can't help but stare. Images of 'pin me down first' spring to mind.

"Leyden was right," Snafu drawls, his eyes on Eugene's and probably noting the direction of Eugene's gaze, "I'm learning loads tonight."

Eugene smiles wryly and continues trailing gentle circles against Snafu's head with his fingertips. Snafu doesn't say anything more, but Eugene doesn't mind the quiet. He likes sitting in the growing dark, with only tiny lanterns scattered throughout the garden providing light.

Snafu relaxes in increments. His legs splay out, one lying flat across the bench and his other knee resting against the wall. He casually throws his left hand over his head, and it lands in Eugene's lap. His right hand drops limply on top of his stomach.

Eugene patiently rubs Snafu's head, never staying in the same spot too long, but still trying to concentrate on the area that seems to be causing Snafu the worst pain. It must take upwards of an hour for Eugene to massage the headache away. Slowly the scrunched up look of discomfort on Snafu's face eases. Snafu's breathing becomes less controlled. 

Snafu sighs deeply.

"Is it working?" Eugene asks.

Snafu smirks and wiggles his hips under the guise of getting comfortable, "You're good with your hands, Gene."

"Better than you, anyway," Eugene retorts.

"You ain't ever even seen my handiwork," Snafu argues.

"No," Eugene agrees, "You better show me sometime."

"Maybe when my brain isn't trying to leap out of my skull," Snafu mumbles. He pushes himself into a sitting position and Eugene's hands fall off of him. Snafu scoots to the far side of the bench and folds his knees up, facing Eugene. "Got a smoke?" he asks.

"No, you took my last one over three hours ago," Eugene says, "I only keep my stash for you, you know that."

Snafu looks heavily disappointed and uneasy at the prospect of conversation without distractions.

"Got my pipe though," Eugene says and begins the soothing ritual of filling it, "As always."

"You sound like Burgie," Snafu rolls his eyes but accepts the pipe when Eugene hands it over along with a lighter.

"Wise?" Eugene asks, naming one of the traits he admires most in Burgie.

"Old," Snafu retorts.

"Hey now," Eugene cautions sagely, "Besides me, Burgie's the only other person here who loves you, Snaf. Careful what you say."

Snafu eyes Eugene mysteriously, a stare strengthened tenfold thanks to his brows being lit from underneath as he lights the pipe. Snafu tosses the lighter back to Eugene and clenches the pipe tight between his lips. He reaches into his jacket and reveals a rolled up napkin.

"Is that from the cafe?" Eugene asks.

Snafu unfurls the napkin and Eugene sees the embroidered initials of the cafe's proprietor in the corner. It's answer enough. A fresh unbruised peach rolls out as well, and Snafu catches it before the fruit can escape. He inspects it in the light of a lantern, and then holds the peach out to Eugene.

"What's this for?" Eugene asks.

"Make sure you keep on loving me," Snafu says.

Eugene scoffs. But he accepts the peach and bites into it. The juices are perfectly sweet. He sucks on the fruit as he bites to prevent it from dripping on his neat uniform.

"Goddamn, Sledge," Snafu says.

Eugene glances at him as he eats the peach.

"No wonder your uniform never has a speck on it," Snafu says.

Eugene quietly finishes half the peach and passes it over.

Snafu swaps it for the pipe. He gets his mouth around the peach and sucks deeply. Eugene stands and wanders over to the waterfall.

"So instead of visiting houses of ill repute you come out to places like this every night?" Snafu asks Eugene's back.

"Yes," Eugene says, "I enjoy exploring."

"You get lonely coming back and being the only one marked down as unexposed?" Snafu asks.

Eugene snorts, "No." His answer is quite certain. He turns and sits back down. His leg bounces restlessly.

Snafu smirks, but it's without his usual bite. He slides down the bench to sit closer.

"Have you been...exposed, yet?" Eugene asks, curious. No one in their company ever tells Eugene about what actually goes on during the guys' nightly forays.

"Nope, I'm clean," Snafu says between bites, "I don't go out anymore, thought you might've noticed."

Eugene makes a face trying to remember how most of their evenings start, "But you and I leave the legation at the same time almost every night? You go off with the other guys and I…"

"Yeah, I make like I'm going off with them," Snafu interjects, "but then I circle back around and return to the barracks."

"What the hell, Snafu how do you expect me to notice that?" Eugene argues.

Snafu shrugs.

Eugene is surprised. He tries to think of a reason for this change. Prior to Snafu's apparent attempts at misdirection, he'd always been the loudest proponent of boozing. "Have you quit drinking?" Eugene asks quietly. He himself has been a loud proponent of that after watching Snafu's drunken outbursts become more and more alarming.

Snafu shrugs again, but the way he doesn't confirm or deny it means Eugene knows it's true.

Eugene's heart flips over with relief. "Snaf," he says and clasps Snafu's hand, "I'm glad…"

"I don't take money with me at night no more, so I can't buy anything, and obviously can't bring anything back into the legation, so…" Snafu swings his head in Eugene's direction and grins, "I've gone cold turkey now. Two weeks. Everything is shit." Underneath his grin is a reality Eugene knows all too well.

Sometimes the fact that the world is moving on around Eugene doesn't fully register. He knows everyday life is there, but he isn't part of it, he goes and goes and goes, and as long as he keeps moving he doesn't see the big gaping stretch of memory floating with him. He's detached from it and drifting along quite complacently. But he knows the memory is there and his only defence against dwelling on it is if he doesn't have to think about anything at all. Fortunately for him, being a Marine on occupation duty he's rarely called on to actually think.

Snafu, though - half of what makes Snafu such an interesting companion in Eugene's cultural tour of Peking is that the man's mind is constantly going. Eugene never quite knows what commentary will come out of Snafu's mouth next and he regularly underestimates the amount of information Snafu soaks up.

Snafu's like a sponge, but only if the sponge were made from a porcupine. And Eugene has an inkling that since Snafu can't stop himself from thinking, he turns to alcohol to do the job for him.

Sure enough, Eugene leaves Snafu to his own devices for five measly minutes, Snafu's thoughts have circled back, and the boy looks like he's about to cry again. Snafu casts his eyes to the sky to prevent the tears from spilling over. He scrunches his face up into a scowl as if that too will protect him from his own memories.

"Come walking with me then," Eugene says eagerly, "During the day like always, but at night too. I'll help keep you on the straight and narrow."

"Not sure you've done a good job so far. This is the curviest fucking path I've ever seen," Snafu jerks his chin at the layers of stairs and corners in their hidden garden stacked together like an M. C. Escher cake. Snafu looks at Eugene sardonically, "I ain't walking shit. The other guys'll give me a bad time."

"They don't give me a bad time," Eugene argues.

"Not to your face," Snafu bites back.

"Oh," Eugene says, feeling naive, "They've said things to you about me?" he sighs dejectedly, "That does make sense. One night our Sargeant gave me grief about my never reporting in as 'exposed'. To my face. His duties must be awfully light for him to be able to study the sexual habits of the troops. Funny how in odd circumstances being responsible becomes the oddity."

"Think you got it backwards," Snafu says philosophically, "If responsibility is the norm somewhere, that place is the one that's odd."

"I refuse to believe that under ordinary circumstances, seeking to avoid venereal diseases wouldn't be considered basic common sense," Eugene says stoutly.

"Avoidance is common sense, sure," Snafu says, "Doesn't mean you gotta be virginal."

"It sounds awful," Eugene sighs, "Contracting a VD, I mean."

Snafu snickers, "You curious about it, or the act that comes before it?"

"No," Eugene demands petulantly.

"I am," Snafu announces, "Curious about you." He swings his feet up onto the bench between them and props his elbow against his knee. Snafu rests his chin on his hand so he can stare intently at Eugene, as if to divine his secrets, "You ever even kissed a girl, Sledge?"

"Not...exactly," Eugene is evasive.

Snafu whistles, "That statement's vague enough to cover all manner of sins. I'll bet Sledgehammer's no innocent..". He straightens his collar and his eyes travel down Eugene's neck, as if searching for evidence. Or maybe something else.

Eugene feels flush.

Snafu is clearly about to launch into a new round of teasing, so Eugene hastily interrupts with, "I kissed Sid once. We were kids. I ran away afterwards and he cried."

Snafu's eyes snap back to Eugene's quick. For a millisecond there's something serious there, but then he returns to mocking. "Kissing boys and making them cry?" he declares, "Sledgehammer's definitely no innocent."

"You ever kissed a boy before?" Eugene asks, trying and failing to keep his curiosity neutral.

Snafu goes deathly still but a grin spreads across his face. He hands over Eugene's pipe, and keeps his eyes locked on Eugene. 

Eugene takes the pipe. He feigns interest in examining it from every angle. 

Snafu captures Eugene's full attention when he places his hands delicately on either side of Eugene's face, turns Eugene's head towards him, and presses their lips together. 

Utter shock flows over Eugene, he almost falls forward into Snafu's embrace and breaks the kiss, but Snafu holds his head steady. Eugene clutches his fists in the air, too afraid to do anything that might freak either of them out and push them over this odd ledge they're on. Snafu keeps him balanced there, frozen, for an oddly long time. Like once he's attached to Eugene, he doesn't want to let go. It almost turns awkward. 

Eugene opens his eyes. He could count Snafu's freckles if he had the inclination. 

With his own eyes still closed, Snafu purses his lips against Eugene's again briefly and then pulls back. He steals Eugene's pipe and places it tantalizingly between his own lips. Snafu slides down the bench to create distance between them and presents Gene with his hunched shoulder rather than his face. "Yeah," Snafu says sarcastically out the side of his mouth around the pipe, as a final answer to Eugene's question, "I've kissed a boy."

Fucking stubborn asshole.

Eugene darts back in to kiss him again, as well as tug Snafu closer by the baggy sleeves of his wool service greens. None of Snafu's clothes fit him well. Snafu is always getting assigned extra work detail for looking scruffy because he refuses to throw money away on tailoring.

Snafu tucks his chin to his chest to block Eugene's affection and bites his lip.

"Please tell me my kisses aren't the reason you're crying right now," Eugene whispers, noticing the tears tracking down Snafu's cheek. He wipes it away with his thumb.

The little frown wrinkle over Snafu's nose is back, and he shakes his head. 

Eugene gently pulls on Snafu's sleeve again and this time Snafu responds. Snafu sways toward him, his hand lands on Eugene's waist and he latches onto Eugene's belt to anchor himself.

Eugene leans in the last of the way and kisses Snafu, to prove he means it, that it isn't some joke, and Eugene isn't doing this just because Snafu started it. He wants this, just as much as he suspects Snafu does.

Their necking starts slow, hesitant, with more than a little embarrassment on both their parts. Eugene didn't exactly intend for this to happen. Them becoming romantic certainly isn't going to make it any easier to introduce Snafu to Doctor Soong. But he can't say he isn't pleased by the outcome. He thought he'd lost Snafu's interest for sure after today.

Snafu makes his interest very clear when he wraps his arms around Eugene's neck, sucks sweet kisses there, and folds himself into Eugene's lap. Eugene gets his hands underneath the hem of Snafu's jacket, for once grateful that the lack of tailoring leaves large gaps around his waist, and runs his palms up Snafu's sides.

Snafu hiccups on a strangled sob. He pulls away and grins at Eugene, his eyes shiny, like he's won. "I knew it," he announces, "I fucking knew it." He makes it sound like some major accomplishment. He shifts on Eugene's lap, tighter into his embrace, and kisses Eugene again, bolder, more insistently.

"I wasn't hiding it," Eugene counters, amused, "Not around you." 

Eugene fully intends to keep on necking till they need to return to the legation before curfew. He briefly pauses to pull out his handkerchief and wipe Snafu's face clean after the tears dry up. 

Snafu groans and pushes forward. He hides his face in Eugene's neck. His hold around Eugene tightens and he whines quietly.

"Snaf?" Eugene asks.

"Headache's back," Snafu complains.

"Want to lie down again?" Eugene asks gently.

"No," Snafu says and squeezes him tighter.

Eugene smiles and shifts Snafu around on his lap until Eugene can lift his arms high enough to reach Snafu's head. It's slightly more difficult from this angle, but he manages to trace tiny circles on Snafu's head again. And like magic the tension starts to melt from Snafu's body and he sinks comfortably against Eugene.

Eugene revels in the feel of Snafu's body against his own, Snafu's breathing, his solid weight despite his slight frame. The reassurance that Snafu is alive, and well, and life can go on around them as much as it damn well pleases. They're out of sync with the world's clock, but Eugene doesn't care.

"Gene," Snafu croons.

"Merriell," Eugene whispers back.

"If you don't be careful, I'm gonna fall asleep on you," Snafu mumbles and he lays his head against Eugene's shoulder.

"Go ahead," Eugene offers. Eugene can feel Snafu grin against his skin.

"Never stand when you can sit," Snafu says.

"Never sit when you can lay down," Eugene adds.

"Never lay down when you can sleep," Snafu finishes. He lifts his chin to put his mouth right next to Eugene's ear. "Eugene," Snafu says his name in a voice 

meant for Eugene alone. His accent draws out every letter in the word.

The name feels good, the way Snafu says it, all the intimacy behind it. Eugene stops drawing his fingers on Snafu's scalp and instead threads his whole hand into Snafu's hair. "Is your head feeling any better?" Eugene asks.

Snafu grunts a yes. He shifts his hips back till he can get his hands on Eugene's belt and fumble the buckle open.

"What're you doing?" Eugene asks as he feels Snafu pop open the button on his pants.

"Wrinkling your shirt," Snafu says devilishly. He untucks Eugene's carefully pressed shirt from his pants, rucks it up around his chest, and gets his hands on Eugene's bare skin.

Eugene smiles despite himself, "As long as you promise to starch and iron it later."

"Deal," Snafu sits up straight on Eugene's lap and starts unbuttoning Eugene's shirt.

Eugene tenderly brushes a curl off Snafu's forehead and leans in expectantly, but Snafu refuses to look at him, let alone kiss him. Eugene kisses the bridge of his nose instead.

Snafu pops the final button on Eugene's stiff collar and pushes the shirt half off his left shoulder.

"Snaf!" Eugene laughs.

Snafu practically crushes Eugene's collar as he shoves it out of the way to create a bare expanse of skin from Eugene's collarbone to hip for Snafu to lean against. "Sorry for fucking up your clothes," Snafu mumbles without sounding sorry at all.

"Next time we go out I'll wear one of my older uniforms," Eugene says happily.

"Sorry for fucking with your life," Snafu continues, "I fuck everything. 'S in my name." He still doesn't sound very sorry about it.

"No," Eugene says, "Your apology would be slightly more believable Snaf, if you didn't insinuate yourself into almost every part of my life."

Snafu groans. "Waiting till you leave me behind."

"What?" Eugene tightens his hand in Snafu's hair and pulls him away so he can see Snaf's face.

"This ain't gonna be what you want much longer," Snafu stares at Eugene's chest.

"Says who?" Eugene snaps, "I know exactly what I want."

"Sure you do," Snafu's eyes trail up Eugene's neck to meet his.

"I do," Eugene releases Snafu's hair and runs his hand down his spine.

"Course you do," Snafu says quietly, "Cause you've got a completely different view of life, College Boy."

"I'm not the one sitting with my back to the garden," Eugene teases. He squeezes Snafu's sides and nods at the waterfall behind Snafu's head, "Turn around and your view might change."

A slight smile plays at the corner of Snafu's mouth revealing the tiniest flash of teeth in the dark. He leans back to get a fuller view of Eugene and shakes his head. That old obnoxious overtly sexual arrogance slips back into his posture and he announces, "Naw, I see all I want in front of me right here." 

Gene's so full of emotion he can't get any proper words out. All he can do is grab Snafu's dumb face and kiss him again.

Snafu responds eagerly. He scoots farther forward into Eugene's lap till their hips are flush together. Eugene grabs Snafu's ass to hold him steady.

"Snaf, you're something else," Eugene whispers at him, "but I want every minute of it."

A slow smile creeps across Snafu's face. He touches his forehead to Eugene's and gets that knowing look in his eyes. His hand rides up Eugene's bare stomach and stops at his chest.

"Snaf…?" Eugene whispers.

Snafu just smiles wider. He runs his thumb over Eugene's nipple.

"Don't think that's going to help your head much," Eugene comments.

"What do you know about it?" Snafu taunts. His other hand comes up too and he plays with Eugene's nipples like they're the knob on top of the damn teapot lid. He's almost innocent about it - like he knows exactly what he's doing but he doesn't mean to start anything. Or at least not yet.

Eugene closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He lets everything go and just enjoys the sensation. Snafu's hands are cold and rough, but his touch is gentle and teasing.

"Gene?" Snafu says quietly.

"Hmm?" Eugene hums.

"Could look at you all night like this."

Eugene flutters his eyes open to see Snafu staring at him in earnest.

"Beautiful," Snafu says with a sly grin. He bristles with confidence. He's got Eugene like putty in his hands and he knows it.

It takes Eugene's breath away, seeing Snafu like this. "If your head feels better enough to be fiddling with my chest you can damn well kiss me, Snafu," Eugene argues.

Snafu laughs. He cups his palms to Eugene's pecks and leans in, but stops a hair's breadth away from Eugene's lips.

"Or do I have to pin you down first?" Eugene asks. He grabs Snafu's waist and drags him closer. He holds Snafu tight against his chest, not giving him an inch of wiggle room.

"You had your chance," Snafu retorts. He refuses to kiss Eugene but he's staring at Eugene's lips like a man possessed.

"I only get one?" Eugene feigns concern.

"You gotta learn how to behave," Snafu taunts.

Eugene snorts and ducks his head into Snafu's shoulder, "I suppose I deserved that."

"Yeah," Snafu says, pleased.

"Snaf, just shut the fuck up and kiss me, please," Eugene pleads.

With a last grin, Snafu finally takes his eyes off Eugene's lips and starts making out with him instead. Eugene palms Snafu's back as Snafu tangles his hands in Eugene's hair and takes control. Eugene loosens his vice grip around Snaf's waist a little bit, just enough to give Snafu room to wiggle, just cause it feels so good.

Eugene's probably going to hell because this is all he wants for the rest of his damn life.

During the war it felt impossible to hope for things - like declaring a direct challenge on the law of averages. Even now if Eugene dares to imagine a future, he's afraid he'll jinx it. Too much a chance that the man on top of him, kissing him, could disappear the next day.

If they do get home, Eugene realizes he could still lose Snafu. Keeping him close is easy on occupation duty, sequestered together in cramped quarters. But back stateside there'll be family, and jobs, and society folk.

"Hey Snaf, let me pay to have your uniform done," Eugene tugs at the extra baggy fabric around Snafu's waist.

"What? Why?" Snafu skews his nose in distaste, "No."

"I'm not going around with someone who looks like a ragamuffin," Eugene says.

"Hate to know what you'd've thought of me before the war, then...," Snafu remarks and tries to dip in and recapture Eugene's lips, "Even my socks had holes in 'em."

"Please," Eugene pleads.

"I like my holy socks," Snafu says between kisses, "Wear 'em to church every Sunday."

Eugene refuses to relent, even for the sake of bad puns, "Let me give the local tailors some good work. And a neat uniform will earn  _ you _ less work. Every hour not spent on trash duty is an extra hour you can spend with me..." He tilts his hips up into Snafu's for emphasis.

"You drive a hard bargain," Snafu grins.

"Do you accept my offer?" Eugene asks.

"Sure, Gene, whatever you want," Snafu folds back into Eugene's body and tucks his head under Eugene's chin.

"Whatever I want?" Eugene asks.

"Mhmmm," Snafu agrees.

"I want you to start thinking about what happens next - after China," Eugene says, "I want to know your plans."

"I'm not thinking about going back," Snafu says dismissively.

"Why not? You're one of the Gloucester veterans," Eugene insists, "You've got more points than anybody. If you'd just stop landing yourself in the brig so often over public drunkeness, they'd probably put you on the first ship out of here."

"Don't want that," Snafu mutters.

"Why the hell not?" Eugene asks.

"Because everything is shit, Eugene!" Snafu repeats angrily, "Burgie's got bit by the writing bug as bad as you, with Florence taking all his attention. You're rejoining your fancy intellectual circles. I'm the only one who's got nothing but this!" He turns his face away from Eugene's chest and hides under Eugene's open shirt. "And my head aches so fucking much."

"What do you want, then?" Eugene asks.

"Some quiet, so I can sleep," Snafu snaps.

Snafu sounds frustrated enough that Eugene stops the conversation there. "Okay," Eugene sighs. He rubs Snafu's back and finds himself hoping harder than he has in a long while.

Snafu does nod off. His breathing evens out and Eugene can feel it blowing over his collarbone.

Always the responsible one, Eugene keeps track of the time. Snafu is sleeping peacefully, and looking so lovely while doing it, Eugene feels almost guilty when he has to wake him.

"Snafu," Eugene urges, "We need to leave now or we'll miss curfew."

Snafu groans and doesn't budge a muscle.

"Snaf, seriously," Eugene prods, "We can't stay here all night."

"I like having you between my legs," Snafu murmurs. His voice sounds half asleep, "S'where you belong."

Eugene feels his face heating up, but he fights it, because with Snafu's powers of persuasion Eugene might end up agreeing to spending the night outside, if only to keep Snafu in his arms. "We'll have other nights like this," Eugene argues, "I know plenty of private places. You'll just have to come along with me on my evening walks."

"If you want me to move you're gonna have to carry me," Snafu mutters into Eugene's shoulder.

"Fine," Eugene says sternly. He pats Snafu's side, "I'm not leaving you behind."

Snafu obligingly lifts his leg off Eugene and kneels on the bench so Eugene can stand. "You're serious?" Snafu asks. Snafu's gaping at him like he can't quite believe this is happening, but it's a great joke.

Eugene wordlessly positions Snafu's arms properly and then heaves him into a fireman's carry. Eugene's long hands are almost big enough to span Snafu's entire thigh.

Snafu chuckles, "Getting real friendly with my leg there, Gene."

"We're on good terms," Eugene says. He is very careful about navigating his way around the path and out the gate. No need to accidentally knock Snafu's head on a pillar and make the pain worse.

"Where are you taking me now, college boy?" Snafu asks, "A secret historical hotel with beds by the hour?"

"Home, back to legation," Eugene replies, too tired to deal with Snafu's goading.

"No way will that place ever feel like home," Snafu scoffs.

"It is for me," Eugene says, "Wherever you are is home, Snafu. Been that way for a while, and I know you noticed because if you hadn't you wouldn't be letting me carry you like this, or kiss you. Nor would you accept my invitations to tea and all the other educational bullshit that I know you secretly dislike."

Snafu hangs limply and thinks about this while Eugene walks.

Luckily Snafu isn't heavy, and since they walked to the cafe, and to the garden, it's easy enough to walk back.

"Does this mean I've got a good chance of kissing you again?" Snafu asks quietly from where he dangles off Eugene's shoulder.

"Better chance than anyone else," Eugene rolls his eyes.

"I don't despise the learning," Snafu mumbles, "I like seeing you get excited. I'd probably follow you anywhere, no matter how boring."

Eugene smirks, "Good. Then include me in your plans. Whatever is in store after all this, I want you with me."

"Even if you have to carry my ass?" Snafu grins and Eugene can hear the pleasure in Snafu's voice.

"Even if I have to carry your ass," Eugene agrees and squeezes the aforementioned part of Snafu's anatomy resting on Eugene's shoulder.

Snafu laughs and lets his head droop to press a kiss on Eugene's upper bicep.

When they reach the legation front gate, they run into Bill and the other guys on their way back from the bars. Bill sees them first and whistles, "Christ, Snafu, how drunk are you?"

"Terribly," Eugene answers for Snafu.

Snafu laughs and wiggles till Eugene sets him on his feet. Snafu doesn't stay particularly upright. He sways dangerously, lopes Eugene's arm around his own neck, and nestles comfortably into Eugene's side.

"Didn't even know you guys stayed out tonight," Bill comments, "You could've joined us."

"Sorry, our plans changed unexpectedly," Eugene demurs.

"How was the cafe?" Bill smirks at Snafu.

"Terrible," Snafu grins wildly. His show of teeth and the gleam in his eyes belie his statement.

"It went great," Eugene deadpans, "After a little tailoring and a brush, Snafu will make the picture perfect gentleman."

Snafu leans his face into Eugene's neck and laughs his ass off.

"You two're both fucking nuts," Bill says good naturedly and he slaps Eugene on the back as congratulations.

Eugene silently agrees. He sweeps a still laughing Snafu off his unsteady feet and carries him bridal style the last few steps across the threshold and into the legation. Snafu plays a harmless drunk very well. He's certainly had enough prior experience at it.

Snafu throws his arms around Eugene's neck and presses his cheek close to Eugene's so he can whisper quiet in his ear, "Welcome home, Sledgehammer." 

Which fills Eugene with so much affection, he almost regrets not staying out all night in a place with enough privacy to kiss Snafu and keep kissing him till the cows come home. As it is, Eugene's lucky that nobody at the legation asks about the obvious hickey on Eugene's neck. Or the fact that the buttons on his shirt are mismatched and his collar uneven. Or that Eugene reports in as "unexposed" despite all evidence otherwise.

Burgie never misses anything, though. He takes one look at them both and declares his intentions to stay up late writing. Snafu and him agree to swap rooms, leaving Burgie to bunk with Jay, and giving Eugene the chance to curl up with Snafu in his own bed all night long.

"Does your head still hurt?" Eugene asks with his arms protectively around Snafu.

"A little," Snafu admits.

Eugene calmly draws circles around and through Snafu's hair and watches him till he falls asleep again.

"I love you, Merriell," Eugene whispers.


End file.
